Golden Citrus Chicken & Marinade

 

Golden Citrus Chicken & Marinade

Are you ready to amp up your weeknight dinner? Golden Citrus Chicken Marinade is sure to impress at your next backyard bbq! Featuring an easy chicken marinade combining freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon, vanilla, garlic and ginger.

Ingredients: 

Chicken:

• 4 chicken breasts, cut horizontally to make 8 thinner pieces
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• dried sage
• dried thyme
• dried parsley

Marinade:

• 3 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
• 1/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla, I am using Simply Organic
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger root, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt, or more to taste

Instructions: 

Prepare the chicken: 

• using a paper towel, blot the chicken on both sides to remove any excess moisture.

• Carefully slice through the chicken breast horizontally from one side to the other until sliced all the way through creating two thinner pieces.

• Repeat until you are left with 8 pieces of chicken.

• Season: generously season both sides of your chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried sage, dried thyme, and dried parsley.

• Add the prepared chicken to a large bowl or resealable bag.

Prepare the marinade: 

• To a small mixing bowl, add all of the marinade ingredients and mix well.

• Marinade: pour the marinade directly over the chicken ensuring every piece is well-coated. 

• Rest: allow the chicken to rest for at least 1 hour in the fridge, or up to 4 hours. (see notes below)

Cook: 

• Bake, fry or grill as desired.

• Once your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F it's ready.

• Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes:

• Marinade time: up to 4 hours is generally what I recommend. Since citrus marinades work quickly to tenderize the chicken, marinating for more than 4 hours can cause the acids to break down the chicken quicker which can result in a mushy/stringy consistency. 

Macros:

• Serving: 8  | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g |
• Source:  https://sammymontgoms.com/golden-citrus-chicken-marinade/#wprm-recipe-container-13053

Blackened Chicken Alfredo KETO (without the noodles)

 

Blackened Chicken Alfredo

This Blackened Chicken Alfredo recipe is your weeknight ticket to restaurant quality flavor. If you’re looking for a delicious dinner that can be made in less than 30 minutes with minimal clean up, look no further!

Ingredients: 

• 400 grams pasta of choice, preferably short pasta
• Chicken:
• 4 chicken breasts, thinly sliced to yield 8 pieces
• 1 tsp olive oil, extra virgin
• 1/4 cup butter
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• smoked paprika
• dried parsley
• dried oregano
• dried basil

Cream Sauce:

• 2 ¼ cup heavy cream, 33%
• 1 ¼ cup parmigiana reggiano, finely grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Garnish:

• red pepper flakes, optional
• fresh basil, optional

Instructions: 

Prepare the chicken: 

• Using a paper towel, pat the chicken to dry.
• Lightly spray both sides of the chicken with cooking spray.
• Generously season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried parsley, dried oregano, and dried basil.

Fry the chicken: 

• Use a large frying pan set to medium/high heat add 1 tsp of olive oil.
• Once hot, fry half of the chicken, undisturbed, for at least 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden and a nice crust develops.
• Once you flip the chicken, add half of the butter and once melted, baste the chicken with a spoon, continuously drizzling the melted butter over it until it's cooked through.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and loosely tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest.
• Repeat this step and cook the remaining chicken breasts.

Cook the pasta: 

• Fill a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.
• Cook your pasta until al dente, drain and return it back to the pot and cover with a lid.
• Keep aside until ready to use.
• Nikki's tip: add a generous drizzle of olive oil to the pasta and toss, ensuring the pasta doesn't stick together.

Make the sauce: 

• To the same frying pan, add the garlic and seasonings. Sauté on medium heat until you can smell their fragrance; 1-2 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the finely grated parmigiano-reggiano and whisk continuously for a minute to avoid clumps.
• Allow the sauce to simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until it has thickened.
• Nikki's tip: for optimal melting, use the smallest holes on your grater to finely shred the cheese.

• Add the pasta: reduce the sauce to low heat and add the pasta and toss to combine. Take the pasta off the heat.
• Top with chicken: cut the chicken into desired shapes (cubes or strips) and fold into the pasta or garnish on top.
• Garnish: finish with red pepper flakes and fresh basil if desired.

Notes:

• Serve over GF pasta or protein pasta as a healthier choice. Highly recommend using the fresh herbs, it adds a freshness to this rich dish. 

Macros:

• Serving: 8  | Calories: 661kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 22g
• Source:  https://sammymontgoms.com/blackened-chicken-alfredo/#wprm-recipe-container-13191